Reaching Out, Finding Peace
by TwilightSorceress
Summary: Ron and Hermione learn that you must risk everything for the ones you love.
1. Reckless Behaviour

Reaching Out; Finding Peace  
  
---I am still writing Praesentia. I am posting this here because a friend from a message board said I should. The story line here is a complete departure from any of the plot of Alesco and Praesentia. I hope you like it!---  
  
Chapter One---Reckless Behaviour  
  
-----  
  
Hermione slipped a hand in the pocket of her jeans and pulled out the small peice of parchment she found there. It was one of the many times she'd read the letter, and her worry ceased to lessen. It was written by someone in obvious distress.   
  
Pocketing the letter and biting her lip, she looked up and down the quiet, dark street. Turning briefly to eye the darkened windows of her home, she closed her eyes and hoped what she was doing was the right thing.   
  
Before she could change her mind, she bit down hard on her bottom lip and shuffled to the end of the drive. Raising her right arm high in the air, she closed her eyes. There was a loud WHOOSH.  
  
Opening her eyes as a great wind passed over her face, she saw the shockingly purple Knight Bus, just inches from the edge of the curb! Stepping back in shock and taking a deep breath, she watched as the door of the Knight Bus opened.   
  
A thin man with a funny cap was stepping down to the bottom stair, saying something; but Hermione shook her head impatiently.  
  
The thin man's mouth opened, apparently surprised. "Is there something wrong miss?" He moved to step down to the ground and look around anxiously.   
  
Hermione took that opportunity to slip onto the Knight Bus. The driver gazed at her curiously, the thin man stepped back on the bus.  
  
"Can you take me to the Burrow?" Hermione sharply directed the question to the driver, as the thin man spluttered behind her. "Where?"   
  
Hermione refused to turn to the thin man, and fixed her gaze on the driver. After a brief moment, the driver nodded.   
  
"Good." Hermione whispered.   
  
Looking about, she was a bit surprised to see beds instead of seats, but that curiosity ebbed quickly. She sat down on one of the beds and closed her eyes. Putting her head in her hands, she lapsed into deep thought.   
  
As the bus surged into motion, Hermione couldn't believe what she was doing. For a moment, she thought maybe she'd tell the driver to go back. But no, she couldn't do that. She had to go. A friend was in need--and after all, the letter she'd left for Mum and Dad would be enough. She hoped they'd understand her reasons.  
  
"Miss, are you all right?" The thin man said loudly, very close beside her.  
  
Looking up, she realized for the first time the bus was practically gamboling all over the countryside! Lights from houses, street lamps, and vehicles flew past, merging into one big, long blur. After a brief moment of awe, she turned to stare into the man's eyes.   
  
"I'm okay....it's just Ron I'm worried about." Swallowing, she put clenched her hands and looked down at the floor.   
  
--------  
  
Ron's hand shook as he tried to focus on the letter he was writing. Yes, he was sure he'd tricked his parents, brothers, and Ginny into believing that everything was okay. But everything was not okay.   
  
He'd felt fine when he'd said good-bye to Hermione at King's Cross two months ago. Nothing but a couple of twinges in his scarred arms, but other than that he'd been fine.  
  
It hadn't started until the third week. In the beginning, he thought he was just having wild daydreams, but they became more frightening each time. Today's had been the most terrifying.  
  
Dipping his quill into ink, he attempted to put into words what he didn't want to speak. He hoped beyond hope the person he was sending the letter to would be able to supply her typical, unfailing guidance (and wisdom). His spiky handwriting bloomed across the blank parchment.  
  
'Just as I'd thrown a gnome over the fence, an odd blackness came over me, and when I opened my eyes, I felt as though something was crouched over me.  
  
'Whatever it was moved back, and I shouted. It was an acromantula! And its pincers were clicking and it was muttering something evil! Well, whatever it was saying, it was terrible!  
  
'And then, all the sudden, it was over! I opened my eyes, I was back in the garden, and everything was perfectly fine!  
  
'Hermione, I need your help. I don't want to bother Harry, I'd feel like a git sending something to Dumbledore, and if I tell me mum she'll just take me to St. Mungo's. I don't want to go there; I know you can help me. Our family has enough to worry about at present, and, well....we don't have enough money for a visit to St. Mungo's. Just send me something, anything that you think might help.'  
  
Ron closed his eyes and tried to calm the shaking in his hand. Sweat dripped into his eyes, and he internally cursed the "no magic" summer rule. A nice cooling charm would do well in easing his worries and calming his spirit.   
  
Signing his name with a shaky flourish, he skimmed over the letter and realized there was something missing.  
  
'P.S. I really miss you and I hope you're safe. Thank you for the book you sent me.'  
  
That was better, he thought, as he nodded and let out a low whistle. Standing up, he rolled the parchment tightly and tied it with a string. Just as he turned, something small and fuzzy collided with his head.  
  
"PIG!" He muttered deeply under his breath. As the hyperactive owl fluttered in front of him, he shoved the parchment toward him. Taking another string, he tied the rolled parchment to the tiny owl's leg.   
  
"Take this to Hermione, and don't mess it up."  
  
Pig twittered gaily, dipped briefly under the weight of the parchment, and then drunkenly flew out Ron's window into the deepening twilight.   
  
Ron closed his eyes, hoping to calm his mind. But all he could hear were the whispers at the edges of his thoughts; the voices waring for the territory of his psyche.  
  
Putting his head in his hands, he moved to his bed and lay down. "What is this? What's happening to me?"   
  
There was a pounding at the door--so unexpected, Ron was startled. "Supper is ready," Ginny's voice said thinly through the door.   
  
"In a minute," Ron muttered idly, trying to quieten the random, alien thoughts that were preaching to him.  
  
There was silence, and Ron was sure Ginny had left. Startling him again was the voice that said, "Are you sick?"   
  
"No. I'm coming!" Standing up he pushed open the door to find Ginny staring at him, her expression indescribable. She shook her head, and started down the stairs.   
  
Ron swallowed, hoping beyond hope that another episode like the one in the garden would not happen during the evening meal. Idly pushing his hair back as he followed his sister down the stairs, he tried to ignore the thoughts that continued to haunt him.  
  
--------  
  
She'd never been this reckless before. Why hadn't she just waited until morning, told her parents what was happening, and they'd drive her (sensible, really) to the Burrow? But no....she had to sneak out in the middle of the night, to risk becoming prey to unknown danger, in order to see Ron.  
  
Why the urgency? Why this terrible fear?   
  
Maybe it was the postscript that had made her take pause. It was rare of Ron to admit his more sensitive feelings in any form, even to say he missed someone was to be treasured. Or maybe it was because he had thanked her for the book. He wasn't himself....  
  
Sighing deeply, she looked up at Stan Shunpike, who'd spent the last half hour telling her his entire life story. She'd listened halfheartedly the entire time, and she truly felt guilty. He was a kind man, if not a bit skittish.  
  
Trying to clear herself of worry, she let her mind wander to the night Harry had to take the Knight Bus. He'd never described to her in detail the trip, but he probably knew Stan.   
  
Just as she was about to say something to Stan about Harry, the bus jolted to a nearly impossible stop. Hermione was used to this by now, bracing herself on the against the bed posts.   
  
"The Burrow!" Stan shouted after whispering with the driver.  
  
Hermione stood up weakly and stepped off the bus, right onto the long dirt trail leading to the Burrow. The night was dark, and night sounds surrounded her. Her heart was beating wildly, realizing she would need to walk the long driveway to reach the house.  
  
"You okay?" A loud voice said, right next to her ear. She jumped, startled.  
  
"I'm fine. Thank you." Taking out some wizard coins, she placed them into Stan's outstretched hand.  
  
Without further ado, the Knight Bus was gone. Hermione was all alone, in the dark, and she dare not use magic unless entirely necessary. Taking her wand from a magically hidden pocket in her jeans, she closed her eyes and prayed there were no resident werewolves in Ottery St. Catchpole.  
  
--------  
  
Ron lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to relax. Quite unexpectedly, the thoughts that had coursed through his mind all day had ceased. It was as though they came in episodes; and he sincerely hoped he didn't have another one soon. It hadn't stopped him from lying there, worrying about what was happening to him and hoping that Hermione could sort it all out.  
  
His mother had cast a cooling charm about the room in order for him to be more comfortable, but the spell was wearing thin, and the summer heat crept over him. It was yet another reason he couldn't sleep.   
  
He lay for another 5 minutes...or was it 30? He didn't know for certain.   
  
He was certain, at that moment, of the startling, muffled sound of his father shouting an unfamiliar spell--somewhere downstairs.  
  
There was a rustling throughout the Burrow, as Ron's heart raced. Was someone attacking them? He sat up, swung his legs to one side of the bed, and stood up in one swift motion. Grabbing his wand from the bedside table in case he might need it to defend himself, he tiptoed to the door. It opened before he could reach it.  
  
"Ron, Ron, are you awake?" Ginny's voice whispered urgently.  
  
"Yes!" He replied harshly, feeling his way past her in the darkness and out the door.   
  
"What's going on?" Ginny muttered, and Ron could feel the fear in her voice.   
  
"I don't know, let's go," Ron muttered. Ginny was holding onto his waist in the darkness, apparently hoping he could lead her down the dark stairs.   
  
They didn't have to walk in the dark for long. Nearing the end of the stairwell, a blue glow emanated from the 1st floor. Ginny moved away, and Ron silently thanked her for that. She'd been treading on his feet the entire way.  
  
Ron held his wand ready, and noticed in the growing light that Ginny had hers, too. Turning to her, he mouthed, "One....two....three!"  
  
They jumped down in tandem from the stairwell, and Ron was stunned at the sight that met his eyes.   
  
--------  
  
Hermione rushed through the darkness, gliding on winged feet over the dry dirt path. A cloud had revealed the waning crescent moon, which shed very little light in front of her.   
  
Her heart beat furiously, and every sense was keen; she could hear the tiny rustling of night animals all about her. An owl, breaking the silence, hooted loudly to her right. Startled, she immediately had an idea.  
  
"Errol? Is that you?" Whispering in the words that seemed so loud all of the sudden; Hermione stopped walking and gazed about wildly. Although the owl hadn't sounded shrill enough, she continued, "Pig-Pigwidgeon?"  
  
There was silence.   
  
It would have been nice to have something familiar guiding her to Ron's home. Sighing, she walked on, eyes squinted, looking out for the slightest hint of danger.   
  
At last, she could see the faint dark outline of the Burrow in front of her, and Mr Weasley's shed, and familiar fences and gates. She could feel herself calming, and her heart relaxing. Finally, she was here. Everything would be fine. She was safe.  
  
The house was very quiet, almost foreboding. Tiptoeing to the door, feeling like vaguely like a thief, she reached out for the handle. Without warning, the door opened at a mere touch.  
  
Hermione stopped for a moment, wondering why that had happened. Cautiously, she eased into the home, holding her breath and treading lightly across the kitchen floor. The door swung itself closed behind her.  
  
Several seconds passed as Hermione wondered what she'd do now. Go up to Ron's room? She felt her face grow warm straight away, and immediately dismissed the idea. She deeply wanted to talk with Ron, to make sure he was okay, but she couldn't dare sneak in on him while he was fast asleep.  
  
Hesitating, taking a deep breath, she started for the living area. She should just sleep on the couch, and speak with Ron in the morning.  
  
An unexpected chill racing over Hermione's neck, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Anticipating danger, she whirled about.   
  
A dark figure was standing behind her. Hermione put up her wand defensively, and was about to speak, when a familiar voice emitted words she vaguely recognized.  
  
All became darkness.  
  
--------  
  
Ron gaped at the scene before him. His mother was crouched near his father, with a ball of blue flames glowing in her outstretched hand. Gasping, he saw that someone, obviously female, was lying on the floor between them.   
  
Gasping a bit, he saw his mother stand and turn to him and Ginny.   
  
"They're awake, dear." His mother said, and his father looked up at them.  
  
For the first time, Ron was able to get a good look at the girl on the floor. His father was holding her wrist, and she looked rather limp. In the blue glow, she almost looked like....  
  
Gaping still, he moved closer and crouched to the floor. He barely heard his mother whisper, 'accio lamp'; but in a moment the room became much brighter.   
  
Ron's concerns were confirmed.  
  
"Hermione!" Ron reached out to touch her arm. She was cold.  
  
"She'll be fine," his father whispered beside him. Ron heard Ginny make a small noise and rush to crouch next to him.  
  
"What happened?" Ron looked up at his father, who looked morose.  
  
His father sighed heavily. "I was reclining in my chair, just back from work, you know, and I heard someone come in. I thought it was an intruder, I didn't want to make my presence known until I knew for sure who it was. I simply cast a powerful stunning spell on her. She'll be right as rain in several minutes; might have a terrific headache, you know."  
  
The room was bright now, and Ron's father moved to pick Hermione up and place her on the couch. Ron sat next to her, still gaping, wondering why she had come.  
  
As if Ron's mother was reading his mind, she said, "I wonder how--and why--she decided to come at this dreadful hour." He looked up to see his mother lighting several more lamps and candles with her wand, and then come to stand next to Ginny, who was looking with concern at Hermione. "I daresay I'd be rather upset if Ginny ran off in the middle of the night like that."   
  
Ginny let out a deep groan, and Ron caught her rolling her eyes as his mother put an arm around her. "Yes, mother."   
  
"That being said, I think you two can get back to bed," Ron's mother said, looking down her nose at them both.  
  
Ron stood up at that. "I can't sleep now! I want to find out why Hermione....." He bit his lip. He already knew why she'd arrived, but he didn't want her to wake up without being there.  
  
"Okay, you can stay. But only Ron." Ron's mother muttered this with finality, and after a few moments of light bickering, Ginny relented and ran up the stairs.  
  
Ron looked down at Hermione. It would be great to talk to her again, tell her everything that had happened and she if she had any answers.   
  
Reaching out to grasp her hand, he was pleased when the hand flexed against his in return.  
  
---------  
  
Hermione heard voices in the darkness; voices that sounded far away at first but became closer and more distinctive each moment. She heard Mr and Mrs Weasley, Ginny, and Ron. The voices sounded concerned, and Hermione wished she could tell them she was fine.   
  
After a moment of lingering in the dark recesses of semi-consciousness, she felt a warm hand grasp hers. It was the focal point she needed in order to pull herself out of the helplessness.  
  
Opening her eyes a bit, she noticed she was laying on the couch in the Burrow's living room, and several candles were glittering brightly on end tables. Seeking the person who was holding her hand, she realized that Ron was sitting next to her, gazing intently at her face.   
  
"Ron!" Hermione muttered weakly, and moved to sit up.   
  
A sharp ache pierced her temple, and she pulled her hand from Ron's and touched her forehead. "Oh..."  
  
"Are you okay?" Ron said, moving closer and took her shoulders in his hands.  
  
A warm feeling passed through Hermione's body, and she tried to shake it off. Subtilely trying to move away without appearing rude, she said, "I'm fine. What was that spell?"  
  
Mr Weasley's voice, coming from a chair Hermione hadn't noticed before, caused a sharp pain to emanate through her skull. "I cast a stunning charm on you. We can't be too careful during these dangerous times."  
  
Grimacing, Hermione moved to try to stand. Ron moved closer to her, as if to steady her.   
  
Feeling faint, she decided against getting up at the moment. Ron had slid over, so she found herself directly against him. Before she could move away, Mrs Weasley walking in from the kitchen. One hand was on her hip, the other was holding a glass of water.  
  
"Hermione, dear....." she said, moving to sit on Hermione's other side.   
  
Hermione distinctly noticed Ron slide away from her a bit, and couldn't help grinning.   
  
"Is something wrong, dear? Did something happen? Are your parents okay?" Mrs Weasley had put an arm around Hermione's shoulders and handed her the glass of water.  
  
Hermione opened her mouth, and knew the explanation wouldn't go over too well. She knew she needed to speak with Ron first before saying anything to his parents.   
  
"I...I left a note for my parents.." She put her hand to her head, and Mrs Weasley made a soft sound. Hermione looked up into her concerned face.  
  
"Nothing is wrong, I just....I know it's late, I know I probably did this the wrong way, but I really need to...." Hermione bit her tongue, knowing what she'd already said would bring more questions then answers.  
  
Hermione could feel Ron squirming beside her, and she turned to look at him. He looked uncomfortable, and caught her eye. "Can I talk to Hermione...alone?"   
  
His voice was very soft, and he shot baleful looks at his parents in turn.   
  
Mr and Mrs Weasley looked at one another, curious and concerned expressions passing over their faces. Hermione was certain they would insist she explain herself; but without further word, they both stood up and walked into the kitchen.   
  
Once they were out of earshot, Hermione turned to Ron.  
  
"Are you all right?" she said, looking down at his scarred arms, revealed by the tight pajama top he wore.  
  
"How did you get here?" Ron said at the same time.  
  
After a moment of silence, Hermoine said, "The Knight Bus."  
  
"Oh." Ron said softly. "I'm fine....for now, anyway. It seems to happen when I least expect it." Hermione looked up to see Ron's expression had changed drastically. "Why did you come all the way out here? Why didn't you just....send me a letter? I didn't ask you to come....I just...need your help..." Ron's voice faded into nothing as he turned to look at the floor.  
  
Hermione breathed softly and gazed at his profile. After a moment, she said, "I came because I don't have an answer that can be written in a letter. I came because I needed to be your support."  
  
Ron shot her a brief, steady look. Swallowing, she said, "Remember when the brain attacked you? While you were asleep in the hospital wing, I overheard Madam Pomphrey telling your parents about "thoughts" and that you might be disturbed by them. She didn't go into much detail, but Harry told me he heard her say something like that another time, too. I'm not sure there's anything we can do, except tell Dumbledore. And I had to come...because..."   
  
She shook her head, looking at her clenched hands and afraid to look into Ron's eyes.   
  
The silence was palatable, and she could hear Ron breathing beside her.  
  
After a very long time, Ron said, "What you did was dangerous. Please tell me you won't do it again."  
  
Hermione was surprised at the voracity of his statement, so much so that she looked into his eyes.  
  
But her astonishment was overshadowed by the initial shock she felt when she saw what was crawling over Ron's shoulder.  
  
Ron, apparently reading her expression correctly, looked down---and screamed. 


	2. Revelations

Reaching Out; Finding Peace  
  
Chapter Two---Revelations  
  
------  
  
Ron had attempted to ignore the rapid speed of his pulse; he'd felt it ever since Hermione had opened her eyes and looked up at him.   
  
The experience was not abnormal; in fact, he'd been overtaken by these reactions to Hermione in the past, and had tried to push them aside.   
  
But now, alone, sitting closely and speaking softly, Ron had the strange feeling that Hermione was trying to hide something from him. Nothing that had to do with what was happening to him, but something else. Something far more important.  
  
Just when he thought she'd open up to him, just when he thought he might learn her secret, he saw it--his worst fear.  
  
He thought he heard someone (most likely himself) scream, and he sat, rooted to the spot in horror.  
  
In that microsecond, he saw Hermione reach over, grasp the spider crawling over his shoulder, and throw it to the floor. In the next microsecond, his saw his Mum and Dad run into the room.  
  
"What the devil?" Ron's father shouted.   
  
Hermione shakily stood up, apparently to step on the spider, and fell back onto the couch...right on top of Ron.  
  
As Ron reached out to grasp Hermione, he barely heard his mother shout the vanishing charm, and there was a brief flash of light. The spider was gone.  
  
Trembling, Ron realized that Hermione practically sitting on him now, her arms around him. She seemed to be shaking, and he could feel her rapid pulse under his palms. It was at that point he discovered his arms were wrapped around her waist.   
  
Swallowing, he began to think. Why is she shaking so much? She's not afraid of spiders. She'd never grab that spider like that if she was afraid; and why is she breathing like that? She's breathing right against my neck.  
  
Purely on reflex, he convinced himself, he tightened his hold on her. Her arms moved to grasp him more fully.   
  
Clearing his throat, he said into her hair, "Thanks for that." His voice creaked, and he felt his face go warm.  
  
"No problem." Her voice trembled unnaturally.  
  
Ron hadn't registered that his parents were looking at them....rather oddly. He let go of Hermione immediately. Hermione apparently realized why, and moved away also.....but not entirely.  
  
Ron's mum put her hands on her hips. "I think it's time for bed, you two. We all need some rest, and tomorrow morning after breakfast I'm going to owl your parents." Ron saw his mother give Hermione a hard look.   
  
Ron felt something sinking inside. He had a bad feeling his mother wouldn't be particularly kind in the letter she was planning to send.   
  
She continued, "Before I do that, I need to know precisely why you ran away from home, Hermione."  
  
Hermione spoke up, "I didn't run away--"  
  
Ron's mum put up her hand. "We'll talk about this in the morning. Hermione, you can stay in Ginny's room, unless you want Percy's old one." Her voice dipped at that, and there was silence.  
  
Hermione stood up, her legs still a bit unsteady, and managed to keep her feet this time. Ron got up, ready to walk upstairs with her, when he was unexpectedly intercepted by his father. He watched as Hermione looked back briefly at him, but she started up the stairs. His mother was at her heels.  
  
"Son..." His father began. Ron looked at the floor. "Yes Dad?"  
  
"Did you scream because of that spider?"   
  
It was the last question he expected his father to ask. His face heated. "Yeah, I guess I did."  
  
His father laughed, and clapped a hand on his shoulder. Ron began to feel humiliated.   
  
"I'm sorry, son, I didn't mean to laugh. But you do know that was a common garden spider, don't you? Not even an acromantula?"  
  
"Yes, Dad....I just--" Ron felt himself frown.  
  
"It's all right, son. I didn't mean to laugh. I thank you, truly I do."   
  
Ron was surprised. He looked up into his father's eyes. They were twinkling like the old times, before Voldemort had returned. It was nice to see him smiling so genuinely again.  
  
"You thank me?" Ron whispered.  
  
"Yes, I do. These days, there's very little to laugh about anymore." His father put his arm around Ron's shoulders and hugged tightly. "It's a sign of good character when a body can still be frightened by the littlest things. It reminds a man he still has good reflexes."   
  
Ron began to smile. His father tended to be a man of few words, but these he knew he'd treasure for a long time. He laughed. His father smiled.  
  
"Of to bed with you."  
  
Ron nodded, and headed up the stairs. He could see a glow above, where his mother was apparently standing with a candle, helping Hermione bed down. Ron wished he could talk to Hermione before tomorrow, but he knew he probably wouldn't.   
  
He was, however, hoping the excitement would make him tired enough to get some sleep.   
  
Opening the door to his room and slipping quietly inside, he felt the cold and knew his mother had cast another cooling charm. Silently thanking her, he slipped into bed and pulled the quilts tight about him.   
  
Closing his eyes, he listened to his breathing for several moments before falling into a deep sleep.  
  
-----  
  
Ron opened his eyes abruptly, and saw the faint glow of dawn peaking at the edge of his window. Rolling over, he closed his eyes, convincing himself he could get a couple more hours of sleep.  
  
And then it began....   
  
The voices, the thoughts, all warring in his mind.  
  
...Did I leave the telly on?...  
  
...I'll need to go to the dentist...  
  
...Will he call me, or should I call him?...  
  
...Two diet sodas, please...  
  
...I only have 20 pounds left, blasted electricity bill...  
  
...Low fat, low calorie, low taste...  
  
"Shut up!" Ron screamed, and clenched his temples.   
  
He didn't hear his door open, but he did feel the warmth of someone settling down next to him and pulling him into their arms. Settling himself comfortably against them, he groaned as the voices continued to shatter the tranquility of his mind.  
  
-----  
  
Hermione expected Mrs Weasley to rush in after her; Ron had shouted rather loudly.   
  
Hermione didn't hesitate in sitting on Ron's bed and taking him into her arms. His response was a bit unexpected; he grabbed onto her a bit too tightly.  
  
Hermione had the feeling that he didn't even recognize who he was holding on to.   
  
Second, minutes, and an hour went by, and Hermione continued to hold on. Ron was clutching her as if life depended on it. He held on so long, her left arm began to grow numb.  
  
Daylight streamed in through Ron's window, and Hermione pensively studied it. Ron muttered a soft, strange and disjointed sentence. Hermione frowned, and tentatively tried to shift so she could move her left arm.   
  
At that small movement, Ron sat up abruptly. His eyes fluttered, as if he'd been asleep and dreaming. He reached up and rubbed them. Then, his eyes grew wide when they fell upon her, and he pulled away and slid a few feet backward on the bed.  
  
"Hermione! What are you doing in here?" Ron grasped the edge of his quilt and tried to pull it over him. Hermione was sitting on it, so it wouldn't budge.   
  
She was upset without knowing why. "I came in here because you screamed!" Standing up, intensely irritated by his outburst, she and began to walk toward the door.  
  
"Hermione...." Ron said with a catch in his voice.   
  
She stopped in her tracks. She felt bad all of the sudden. Whatever had happened to Ron, he obviously wasn't aware she'd been holding him for over an hour. Of course he'd be surprised to see her there, sitting on his bed. In fact, she was a bit surprised in it herself.  
  
Turning, she saw Ron clutching the quilt about him, even though the summer heat was creeping into the Burrow. Modesty, she thought. It's the one trait I never thought Ron would exhibit.   
  
She tried to hold back an internal laugh. It was a difficult task.  
  
"What are you grinning about?" Ron said rather loudly.  
  
Hermione put a finger to her lips. "Shhh, people are still sleeping."   
  
Ron grunted, and a huffy silence began to emanate from him. Hermione looked at the floor. What should she do now? She truly didn't want to walk away angry, but if Ron didn't apologize for being such a git, she'd do just that.   
  
After what seemed like a very long time, she heard a soft cough.  
  
"Erm, Hermione...can I talk to you?" Ron asked, so softly she was sure she didn't hear right. But instead of displaying her uncertainty, she shuffled over to the side of the bed.  
  
Standing there for a moment, looking down at him, she realized how much he'd grown. An unexpected thought popped into her head.  
  
He'll make a lucky woman a fine husband someday.  
  
The thought took her breath away, and she shook her head, trying to push it aside. She'd had many silly thoughts like that every now and then over the years, but she always attempted to ignore them. This time, though, she barely succeeded.   
  
Standing a bit more tensely, she almost walked away. That was before Ron spoke again.  
  
"You can sit down, you know."  
  
"Where?" Hermione blurted.  
  
At that moment, they both looked at one another and their eyes met. Hermione's heart nearly burst from her chest when her eyes locked on his; she tried to catch her breath and pretend as if nothing had happened.   
  
As she calmly moved her eyes away from his, she felt Ron motion to the side of the bed. Gingerly scooting onto the corner of Ron's bed, she made sure to avoid eye contact.  
  
Ron let out a weary-sounding groan, and Hermione looked at her hands. After a moment of silence, Ron said, "I'm sorry...about being so...surprised."  
  
Hermione swallowed and glanced Ron's way. His face was very red, and he looked deeply uncomfortable. Hermone turned to him fully. He didn't look up.  
  
"It happened again. This time was so strange. Before, I couldn't really tell what the voices were saying...they were just there, you know? And now...I hear every single word. The spooky part is...they're muggle words. So it must have been a muggle's brain? But how? And why?" Ron appeared to be trembling, and she knew he was deeply upset.   
  
Hermione's heart sank, and her eyes widened. She'd read several books about Dark Arts ever since Voldemort and the Death Eaters had come back into power.   
  
At that moment, something clicked into place in her mind, a thought she always knew was at the edge of her thoughts but never came to fruition. Deciding not to voice her thoughts just yet, she eyed Ron warily.  
  
"Ron, I think we really should inform Dumbledore. At the least, let's write a letter to Harry. Have you heard from him at all this month?"   
  
Ron simply shook his head, a pouty expression on his face. "I sent a letter, and Pig came back with nothing. I don't even want to imagine what his summer has been like so far."   
  
"We can only hope he's doing fine. After all, he should be safe there," Hermione said, letting her mind wander over the small theory forming there.   
  
Without warning, the rather loud voice of Mrs Weasley disrupted Hermione's chain of thought. "Breakfast is ready! Up and at 'em, you lot."  
  
Ron jumped up from the bed, and Hermione briefly wondered where all the modesty he'd shown earlier had gone to. He walked swiftly toward the door, and turned back to give Hermione a week smile that didn't reach his eyes.  
  
"Come on, it's breakfast," he said silkily.  
  
Hermione smiled weakly and got to her feet. She felt herself follow Ron as if on auto-pilot, her thoughts too occupied and disturbed to care.  
  
If her suspicions were correct, it was possible the Ministry of Magic and the Department of Mysteries knew more about what the Death Eaters were planning then everyone realized.  
  
------  
  
Ron's mum and dad were unexpectedly silent during breakfast; but Ginny filled up the silence with endless questions to Hermione about how her summer had been. Hermione appeared enthused by his sister's interest, but her answers were short and less than informative. After a few moments, the entire table fell silent.   
  
Cleaning his plate, and briefly wondering if there were any leftovers, he glanced over to see Hermione gazing at him worriedly.   
  
Forgetting his concern over more food, he returned her look. Without warning, he heard his mother clear her throat.  
  
Hermione jumped, startled, and Ron swung his head around to see his mother staring at him.  
  
"Hermione, could we speak with you?" his mother asked.  
  
Ron turned to Hermione; her face was flushed, and she nodded and stood up. Concerned, he watched his mother, father, and Hermione walk into the next room.  
  
Turning to Ginny, he felt his brow raise in confusion. "What's going on?"   
  
Ginny shrugged, looking a bit uneasy. "Before you came downstairs, a letter arrived. From what mum said, Hermione's parents aren't very pleased with what she did this morning."  
  
Ron felt a lump form in his throat, hoping she wouldn't be in too much trouble.   
  
It's really my fault, Ron thought. If I hadn't sent that letter...  
  
Ron winced as a sharp pain peirced his skull. Rubbing his head, he just noticed Ginny staring at him oddly from the corner of her eye.  
  
"What are you looking at?" Ron asked; rather rudely, he thought, immediately wishing he hadn't said anything at all.  
  
Ginny gave him a hard look. After a brief moment, she said sharply, "You asked Hermione to come, didn't you?"  
  
Ron pursed his lips and felt his face become hot in irritation. "No, I didn't."   
  
Ginny shook her head. "I think you did. You've been acting really odd ever since summer started; you've been trying to hide it and I've played along. But no more...." she stood up, and Ron noticed she was much taller than he realized. "I think it's time to spill it."  
  
Ron heard himself uttered a small growl, and he stood up as well. "Maybe something's going on, and maybe it isn't." Gesturing wildly with his hands, he said more loudly, "I'm sorry, but whatever is going on with me is unimportant compared to--"  
  
Ron's tirade was abruptly interrupted by the cool swoosh of owl's wings, flying just over Ron's head. He looked up to see a very white owl, now perched on a ceiling rafter, hooting rather animatedly. Recognizing the owl immediately as Hedwig, Ron looked about. He now noticed that Ginny had a rolled parchment in her hands.  
  
"What's that?" Ron blurted.  
  
Ginny reddened perceptively, and shrugged. He noticed her shock, even though she didn't voice it.  
  
Watching interestedly as his sister unrolled the letter, he saw her bodily relax the moment the letter was open. Clearing her throat and eyeing Ron , Ginny whispered, "'Dear Ron and Ginny, I'm sorry I haven't been able to write so far this summer. Dumbledore has been sending me some books to read; they've been keeping me occupied. I've also been approached by members of...'"   
  
Ginny stopped, and looked confused. Finally, she said, "Oh, he left that blank, I guess he means the Order. Okay, and then he wrote, 'They've been asking me to nightly meetings, and Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon don't know. I've been sleeping a lot during the day, and staying awake during the night. I can't tell you what a battle it's been...'" Ginny looked up, her eyebrows raised. "He wrote b-a-t-t-l-e in bold....does he mean they've been teaching Harry how to..."  
  
Ron shook his head, and frowned. That would explain why I hadn't heard from Harry all summer, he thought. Shrugging, Ron whispered, "I guess so."  
  
Ginny gave Ron a worried look, and looked back down to read more of Harry's letter. "'I thought I'd send this before going to bed, I hope things are going well. It's possible I may be able to see you sometime next month; I hope so. Please say hi to Hermione for me, if you see her before I do. I wrote her a letter, but I haven't gotten a response.' That's it." Ginny handed the letter to Ron, but Ron didn't have a chance to look at it.  
  
"Ron," he heard his father said behind him.  
  
Turning abruptly, Ron noticed that his father had a very concerned, if not disapproving look on his face. "Yes Dad?"  
  
Ron vaguely heard Ginny clucking to Hedwig, and heard the bird fly down behind him. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Ginny go to a fetch a peice of parchment and quill from a drawer next to the pantry. Hedwig was perched on her shoulder, and Ginny was chortling as Ron heard his father speaking loudly.  
  
"Why didn't you tell us?" Ron's father was saying, and Ron cringed. He noticed his mother was now standing behind his father, and Hermione was looking rather flushed beside her.   
  
Ron knew Hermione had told his parents what had been happening to him. After an initial feeling of anger and disappointment, Ron urged himself to remain calm.   
  
"I didn't want to worry anyone," Ron looked at his feet, feeling the pit in his throat increasing in size.  
  
Ron heard his father walk over to him, and a hand was placed on his shoulder. "I understand why you did it, but we must know everything. We need to know what kinds of thoughts you've experienced...everything. Headmaster Dumbledore--"  
  
Ron's mother cleared her throat loudly, and Ron's father fell silent.   
  
Ron glanced at his mother, and then Hermione. Hermione was giving his mother the same kind of look she got whenever a professor told her she'd got something right, or when she received high marks on an essay.  
  
So Hermione did know some of what was going on, Ron thought. The question was....did she know now, because her parents had told her? Or had she known before that?   
  
Ron felt sick inside, vowing that was the first question he'd ask her when they were alone again. 


End file.
